https://triblive.com/local/pittsburgh-allegheny/franco-harris-george-washington-statues-to-return-to-pittsburgh-airport/
Franco Harris, George Washington statues to return to Pittsburgh airport
Franco Harris and George Washington soon will be back where they belong.
The iconic statues of Steelers star player Harris and the first U.S. president are returning to their homes inside the Pittsburgh International Airport.
The statues will be unveiled during a news conference Thursday.
The statues were taken to the Sen. John Heinz History Center in in March for conservation work and cleaning. Harris, whose legendary “Immaculate Reception” in a 1972 playoff game is memorialized in his statue, will be part of the event. He tweeted about the statue when it went missing.
The return date was chosen because it is close to the Steelers’ opening home game on Sunday, when they host the Seattle Seahawks.
Airport employees will be celebrating a “Steelers Day” as part of the festivities, wearing Pittsburgh Steelers gear and colors.
Local travelers often declare, “I know I’m home when I see George and Franco.” The locale is also a popular selfie spot. The statues are owned by the history center and are on loan to the airport.
Statue of Franco Harris and the Immaculate Reception at Pittsburgh International Airport courtesy of Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum at Heinz @HistoryCenter #LovePGH pic.twitter.com/Szq9EcqBg5— Visit Pittsburgh (@vstpgh) September 14, 2018
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